Clarion 1991-11-15 Vol. 67 No. 05

              Physics Dept.
Receives Grant
p. 2
Film Forum
Preview
p. 9
Football Wins
at Dome
p. 12
Soviet Group Stresses Universal Christianity
by Shelly Burke
Writing Intern
Nine singers from the Soviet Union
came to Bethel to perform for a special
chapel on October 29lh. The group,
"Ecclesiastes," is sponsored by Living Bibles
International (LBI). Their performance ai
Bethel is pan of a month long tour of the US
in which the group hopes to raise awareness
of the conditions and ministry needs in the
Soviet Union.
Members of the group have been
able to compare American culture to their
BETHEL COLLEGE
ST. PAUL, MN
VOL. 67, NO. 5
NOV. 15, 1991
own. "Everything is so big here," Udo
Sokolovsky, leader of the group says. "When
it comes to people, we were surprised thai
Americans are so much 1 ike we Russians are
— only ihey smile more." Sokolovsky says
Russian and American manners of relating
lo people are the same. "You
go ahead and ask questions
and want to talk about thi ngs.
That's what we Russians
would do also," Sokolovsky
says.
Students in Professor Mel Stewart's Christian theology class had the
opportunity to ask several
group members questions
after chapel. "I feel like
they're more real than before," says sophomore
Heather Holmgren, a member of Stewart's class. She
says she had al ways pici ured
Russians as cold hearted.
Group members say this is a common feeling among Americans. As a result
of the Soviet government, members say thai
the Russian people have learned lo appear
cold in public. They say Americans walking
down a street in the Soviet Union are apparent because they greet those Ihey pass and
look around.
Part of ihe changes in attitudes of
Americans toward Soviet citizens has been
the result of changes in ihe Soviet Union.
for Christianity in the Soviet Union that
enable a group like Ecclesiastes to tour the
United States. The group's interpreter, Slava
Jarutasays,"Before, Ihey [Christians] could
worship inside the walls of their churches.
Now they can go out and do public evange-
TheSoviel Group Ecclesiastes adds Russian endure lo ihe Gospel.
Pholo by GJ Harper.
lism. It's much more activity for outside the
churches."
Before Perislroika existed.
Ecclesiastes could only sing in churches,
but now they perform publicly. They were
the first Christian group to appear on national television, and recently toured Germany.
Jaruta can remember what Christianity was like when he was a child. He
remembers beins mocked for his faith and
The police would then create problems for
church members at school or at work. Sometimes Jaruta's mother would hide a Bible
inside his shirt and tell him to run home.
He says the situation is very different now. "In the societies ihe only thing that
is respected now is the churches.
The churches actually have great
opportunities right now but they
are not able," Jaruta says. He attributes this to a shortage of finances and people.
Holmgren found it interesting to learn that it is the youth
who are highly receptive to
Christianity in the Soviet Union.
The adults are not interested in
changing their ways.
Despite differences in the
roles of Christianity in the Soviet
Union and the US, the Christianity is still the same. "Christianity
cannot be separated by borders or
even languages," Sokolovsky
says. He feels a unity with Christians in the
US. "If one doesn't [feel this unity], maybe
somelhing is wrong with that Christianity,"
he says.
Members of Ecclesiastes say that
aside from theaidtoihe Soviet Union through
missions, Americans can help the Russians
by writing letters. The gap between the two
countries can be narrowed by getting lo
know each oilier belter ihrough letters and
experiences such as Ecclesiastes visit lo
Perislroika has brought the kind of changes     the police making lists of church members.     Bethel.
Discipleship AssistantsTake the Next Step
11111111111111
silllllliss
WimmM
Laura Hansen.
Writing Intern
"Take the next
step" is nol only the theme
of Discipleship this year,
bul also the goal of the new
Discipleship Assistants
Program. According lo
Don Graffam, Discipleship
Assistant in charge of team
leaders, "lake the next step"
refersto finding fellow students where they arc at in
Iheir Christian walk and
helping them to lake one
step closer to God.
The Discipleship
Assistants Program developed through ihe Campus
Ministries office. The planning of this program began with campus pastors Kcilh
Anderson, Sieve Young, and Sherry Bungc,
ihe key supervisor of the Discipleship Assistants. Below Bungc are the seven Discipleship Assistants.
.Each Discipleship Assistant has a
specific role and represents the student body
in a particular area. These student leaders
are senior Gus Broman, in charge of small
groups and Bible studies; senior Don
Graffam, in charge of discipleship team
leaders from each residence; senior Sherry
Horvath and junior Colleen Hoy, in charge
ofVcspers; juniorChadErlcnborn,in charge
of outreach and missions; junior Rachel
Varghese, in charge of campus "encouragement teams; and sophomore Chad Osmon,
in charge of administration. Each of the
Discipleship Assistants is in charge of a
The Discipleship Assistants help Campus Ministries encourage spiriiu
growth. Pholo by Margaret Herman.
group of students involved in the specific
areas they lead.
The Discipleship Assistants Program came about because there was a need
lo draw more students into leadership and
get them involved in campus ministries,
says Horvath.
Graffam agrees with Horvath saying, "It gives students a chance to excel in
leadership positions."
Last yearthese Discipleship Assis-
lanis positions were filled by one Seminary
.student. The idea for the program was
initiated because there was a need to place
students in leadership positions and utilize
iheir lalenls and abilities lo influence the
entire campus.
The search for these assistants began last year with ihe application and interview process. Horvath says thai individual
qualities and characteristics were matched with
the requirements for each
specific posilion says
Horvath. Horvath was
chosen along with Hoy to
work with Vespers because she had been involved with the program
for the past two years.
"We each have different
gifts to offer to fill these
positions," Graffam replies.
The tasks and responsibilities that go along with
being in a leadership position can sometimes be
frustrating and overwhelming, bul chances arc these tasks and
responsibilities arealwayschallenging. One
challenge the Discipleship Assistants face is
in regards to students leading students iheir
own age. The word "power" is usually
linked with leadership, in some way placing
an individual in charge or in control. In the
Discipleship Assistants program leadership
is defined differently. There is no power or
conlrol, but rather students leading and
guiding their peers to a stronger and closer
relationship with God.
"I have been stretched and 1 have
grown in a lot of ways. This will help me in
the future with ministries and other areas of
my life," says Horvath.
According to Graffam, these leadership positions are above the assistants in
many ways. The Discipleship Assistants
Assistants, Con't. on Pg. 5.